


On Either Side the River Lie

by Vampiric_Charms



Series: Feeding the sheep is prohibited [1]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 02:59:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8515927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampiric_Charms/pseuds/Vampiric_Charms
Summary: Mairon and Melkor set off from their life of war and discord to find happiness elsewhere.  Such as with mountains and each other...and with sheep.Set in the same timeline as As the Mirror Cracks from Side to Side.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I think we all need some fluff today. I know _I_ certainly need some. This was a quickly written piece, but I wanted to put something purely happy and uplifting out for anyone who would like to read it. I care about all of you and hope everyone is doing well right now. Please come join me on tumblr, if you'd like (across-the-cypress-trees).
> 
> For the story - this is set in the “Sheep AU” Naamah_Beherit and I have created, near the very beginning of their little journey of it all. It was also her recommendation this fic be written in our AU.
> 
> Enjoy, everyone!

“Do we really have so few things?”

Mairon looked across the room to where Melkor was rummaging through a crate discontentedly, a frown pulling at his face. “We _had_ a great many possessions,” Mairon replied with a little grin, sitting back on his heels and away from his own crate, one that held silk bedding and lovely draperies folded neatly inside. “It was your idea to leave it all behind when we left the fortress for a new start. Or do you already not remember?”

Melkor just huffed in a lacking response, taking the wooden box and upending it fully rather than picking at the items individually to place on the shelving as he was meant to do. Books and small - unbreakable, thankfully - trinkets tumbled out onto the rug with a clatter.

“And really,” Mairon continued, turning his gaze away before he could cringe at the disorganized mess, “we still have quite a lot. This is hardly downsizing from our endless stores and coffers. Admit it, you are simply getting tired of sorting and rearranging it all.” He sighed and pulled out a set of dyed ruby sheets, disentangling them from one another to remake the bed with. “I’ve told you I’ll do this myself, I don’t mind.”

Melkor was silent, but he still gathered the books up into his arms and shoved them inelegantly onto a shelf. He left them in a pile there and turned away, stalking to one of the large arched windows overlooking the windswept yard. Beyond the autumn-yellowed grass, the trees grew tall and old, their leaves turning to beautiful golds and reds set burning by the setting sun. The ridges of nearby mountains could be seen over the leafy canopies, swooping and sweeping through the cloudy sky.

“Are we doing the right thing?”

Mairon lowered the blanket in his hands, looking around again in surprise at the quiet question. “What do you mean?”

“All of this,” Melkor said with a vague gesture around their bedroom. Most of what belongings they had brought - a fair many things, truly - had already been unpacked and found home, not only in this room but everywhere in the over-large cottage they’d vacated their previous mountains for. Only a small handful of crates and trunks were left to go through, mostly ones with extra sheets and clothing and books.

Mairon stood and set the blanket down on the bed before walking over to stand beside Melkor at the window. “Are you referring to your masterful work on creating our new home?” he asked mildly. That was not, he knew, what Melkor was speaking of, but trying to infer any more than that without additional information was rather pointless.

The Vala scowled at him, but Mairon just grinned pleasantly in return and hooked their arms together. 

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Melkor growled. Nevertheless, he opened his mind slightly, allowing a small stream of images and emotions to flow between them to give more clarity to what he was feeling without having to give it words he did not have.

Mairon hummed softly, leaning against Melkor’s side as he parsed through the waves as they brushed over him. Anxiety, uncertainty, hesitancy. His brother, and the war they left behind. It all swirled into a mass of of sensation in his mind, in his chest, and he released Melkor’s arm to instead wrap his own up across Melkor’s shoulder’s.

“I’m not sure it is best to dwell on whether we’ve made the right choice, as it is far too late to change our minds now.” Mairon placed a soft kiss to Melkor’s temple when the Vala made a displeased sound with this answer. “Do let me finish before you place such harsh judgement,” he said with a little chuckle before Melkor could say something snide. “We’ve chosen our path and regardless of whether it is right or wrong, I am very happy to be where we are right now. How is that, then? Does it pass your test?”

A little smile nudged itself across Melkor’s face and he forced it to disappear again before it could plant itself too firmly. Mairon pretended not to notice, resting his head against the side of Melkor’s as he slowly began to calm again, the stream of emotions along their shared connection turning more tranquil than they had been in a very long time.

“Happy, you say?” Melkor murmured. “Are you, now? Very happy?”

“Oh, yes. Very happy.”

Mairon leaned back as Melkor moved, giving him space as his head spun around before they knocked together. But rather than sweeping away from the window, as Mairon had expected him to do, Melkor reached up a hand to cup Mairon’s face and tip his face up, rubbing a thumb against his cheekbone. They gazed at one another for a moment, feeling the easiness of the moment, the gentleness of the atmosphere and the coolness of the breeze floating inside.

“I think, perhaps,” Melkor whispered, his voice soft, “I might be, as well.” He grinned slightly, his lips lilting upwards on one side and his eyes starting to shine a bit more brightly. “It is difficult for me to tell. I assume, then, you will assist in reminding me of this as it becomes necessary?”

“Must you truly ask such a silly question? You have given me a fair bit of power with this knowledge, you know.” He returned Melkor’s smile with a brilliant one of his own and, before the Vala could attempt to take back any of what he had just said, Mairon pushed up slightly onto his toes to press a quick kiss to Melkor’s lips.

Melkor’s hand on his cheek slid back into his hair and held him there for a long moment, deepening the kiss and tugging at Mairon’s bottom lip with his teeth when Mairon tried to pull back. Mairon just chortled, putting his hands on Melkor’s chest to firmly extract them. Melkor made a face at him, which only made Mairon chuckle again as he stepped back from grasping hands.

“We will have plenty of time for that later,” he said lightly, swatting at Melkor’s arm as it reached for him. The swat turned into a little dance to fully remove himself from range, and he laughed heartily, tugging his robes close about his legs. “No, we must finish unpacking these boxes! And - ” He smacked a wandering hand away again. “And organize that shelf, you disorderly lump. We’ll never find any of those things again if you don’t.”

They fell into a companionable chatter, more laughter and sweet passes of passion and affection flitting between them on that bright golden connection.

After a few minutes, Melkor asked, “So where shall we find our flock of sheep?”


End file.
